


The Letter

by celestialteapot



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Hogwarts Seventh Year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 10:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14518824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialteapot/pseuds/celestialteapot
Summary: Severus receives some news.





	The Letter

**Author's Note:**

> I headcanon that Snape applied to be a Healer, and it's one of those long application processes where you have assessments and interviews...and that it takes place the summer before you take you N.E.W.Ts, so you go in with your predicted grades.

So unused was Severus at receiving any sort of post, he didn’t even look up as owls swooped into the Great Hall. Instead, he remained glued to an article in the latest issue of _The Practical Potioneer_ Professor Slughorn had given him the other day and was bitten sharply by a disgruntled owl.

“Ow! Why did you–” The owl dropped a letter into his porridge, hooted and flew off. Wiping porridge off the letter, he turned it over and saw the emblem of St Mungo’s. Last year he had applied to be an apprentice Healer and had spent a week of the summer in London going through assessments and interviews.

“Is that it?” Avery said, looking over his shoulder. He’d tried to keep his application a secret but secrets at Hogwarts never stayed secret for long.

“Yeah.” He breathed, still staring at the emblem. In what seemed like the distance he could hear Avery calling for Professor Slughorn and was vaguely aware of people moving closer.

He jumped a little as Slughorn’s large hands fell onto his shoulders. Rolling his eyes, Avery nudged him. “Go on then.”

Taking a shaky breath, Severus turned the letter over and using his knife, opened it. A second later he slid the thick paper out the envelope and began to read.

_Dear Mr Snape,_

_Thank you for your application and for attending our interview and assessment day earlier this year. Unfortunately, on this occasion, we are not able to offer you…_

He stopped reading, his heart sinking.

Slughorn squeezed his shoulders and murmured something before disappearing back to the staff table. The people around him slid back into their seats or moved back to their house table feeling suddenly awkward.

“You okay?” Avery asked, keeping his voice low.

Very aware of where he was, Severus pulled himself up straighter and shoved the letter into his copy of _Practical Potioneer_. “Yeah…I didn’t think I’d…Yeah.” He swallowed. “I’m going to get my stuff for McGonagall’s, meet you later?”

“Sure.” Avery watched him gather his things and watched him out of the Great Hall.

—

Alone in his dorm, Severus took the letter out and sitting on his bed read it through in its entirety. Afterwards, he sat staring at the far wall until he heard voices in the distance as his housemates drifted back to the common room to collect their things for the morning’s lesson. The door handle turned and he leapt to his feet, stuffing the letter into his pocket and grabbing his copy of _Advanced Transfiguration_ , wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

—

His mind still on the letter, he failed to notice Sirius Black who swooped down on him grabbing the letter from his pocket as he walked through the door of the Transfiguration classroom.

He immediately went for his wand but he was seized roughly by Peter Pettigrew and a Hufflepuff boy. He struggled against them but they were both much bigger and stronger than he was.

Standing on the table, Sirius unfolded the letter and began to read it out loud to the assembled class, adding his own _highly amusing_ commentary to the sheer joy of those who enjoyed watching Severus being tormented.

“What on Earth is going on here?” Professor McGonagall interrupted from the doorway. Pettigrew and the Hufflepuff immediately let Severus go.

“Nothing miss,” Sirius said with a grin, jumping down off the table. He heard someone mutter “who’d want him as a Healer anyway?” as the class moved around him towards their seats.

McGonagall narrowed her eyes at him. “Take a seat, Mr Black. You too Mr Snape.” Severus stared at her. “I won’t ask you again, Mr Snape.”

Anger bubbled up inside of him. “How long were you going to just stand there?”

“Five points from Slytherin and it’ll be ten if you don’t sit down immediately.”

“What’s the fucking point.” He snapped, grabbing his bag and stormed through the door knocking into someone as McGonagall shouted after him.

—

An hour or so later, he really wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting by the lake, he became aware of a shadow to his right. He glanced up to see Lily.

“Here.” She held out his now crumbled letter. He took it from her with a grunt.

“Who’d want me for a Healer anyway.” He muttered as he shoved the letter into his bag.

“I would.” He stared at her. “You’re clever, determined.” She sat down on the grass next to him. “I wouldn’t want someone to coddle me, I’d want someone who was going to do everything to cure me.”

“I imagine McGonagall is pretty pissed.” Severus abruptly changed the subject.

“Actually, she’s not. Mary told her everything and now Sirius, Peter and Jonathan are in detention for a week. She’s only taking points off you for swearing.” She grinned at him.

They sat in silence for a bit.

“I’ve missed talking to you,” Severus said very quietly.

“Me too,” Lily replied. “I’ve missed talking to the boy who’d get seriously excited over a new a new potions discovery or tell me terrifying stories about dark wizards and goblin rebellions.” She grinned. “You must be the only person who actually listens to Binns.”

He tried to smile back but he couldn’t. “I hate it here, Lily.”

“Well in seven months none of it will matter. We’ll be out of here.”

“And then what?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.” The bell rang somewhere in the distance. Lily got to her feet. “Coming to Arithmancy?”

“No…I’m going to sit here for a bit longer and then go see McGonagall.”

“Ok.” She turned and hesitated for a moment. “Don’t let them get you, Sev.”

He watched her walk back up to the castle before turning his attention back to the lake.


End file.
